Yet another complete novice.

[Rappy]

I am retired and living in Cyprus. I have a lot of spare time on my hands which I don't like wasting. Last year I taught myself HTML and CSS programming. This year I'd like to learn more about, and experiment with, Satellite TV.

I have a fixed dish on Hotbird. I'm now ready to purchase a new receiver, programmer, etc. Now for the questions:

I am considering buying a TECHNOMATE 7655 2VA DIGITAL SATELLITE RECEIVER PATCHED - 5 CAM 2 CARD FREE RS232 PATCH CABLE & HOW 2 PATCH MOVIE. Price on eBay about £100. Any other recommended receivers? The Dreambox is a little outside my budget and seems quite complicated for a newbie.

I would welcome your opinions of the Technomate receiver. What is meant by being 'patched'? I understand CAMs are akin to PCMIA cards. Are 'built-in' CAMs part of the firmware? How do they operate?

Next, the programmer. I am considering a Infinity USB. Is this any good? Any recommendations.

Having a receiver and programmer I'd then need a card. I am totally in the dark. What should I get? Suggested sources?

Finally, when I have all the kit (I already have a PC), how do I put it all together and use it? I have heard about 'KEYS' but know nothing about them.

There, I told you I was a novice. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Of course, you will understand that I don't want to view encrypted channels. This is experimentation only and if any encrypted channels did appear by any chance, I would turn off my TV )

Cheers

 

[cryptyk]

if you are into learning have a read up on dreambox
card programing is old hat now with recievers with built in emulators

 

[Redeye I]

You've got to get a motor! As a novice who was in your position only a few months ago I can highly recomend the TM-1500 super. More than enough TV and so simple it will give you the confidence to try something more complicated next time. (Oh there will be a next time, what a great hobby - I send more time reading about how to get more TV than I do actually watching it.)

 

[digidude]

i too would recommend the 1500, no cams or cards are needed, for all the how to help you could need click the technomate link in my siggy below

 

[yossarian31]

i too would recommend the 1500, no cams or cards are needed, for all the how to help you could need click the technomate link in my siggy below

Im also a complete novice as i am taking my first step from cable dbox2 to considering sattelite when i move home out of a cable area, but i have enough experiance to know that all the answers to my questions will have been answered about 1000000 times so comeon people use the search button and do some research yourself, you stopped needing to be spoonfed many years ago. Cheers for the links digidude ive got a lot of reading to do but you have put it all in one place for my research so cheers for that and respect.

 

[digidude]

Cheers for the links digidude ive got a lot of reading to do but you have put it all in one place for my research so cheers for that and respect.

no problems m8, i was a newbie to satellite once as well, as with anything you dont understand, finding out can be fustrating sometimes. if theres anything else just shout

 

[yossarian31]

no problems m8, i was a newbie to satellite once as well, as with anything you dont understand, finding out can be fustrating sometimes. if theres anything else just shout

yeah but presumably that was about 3400 post ago lol